1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of flip-top lids for cans of carbonated soda, more particularly a flip-top lid that is easier to open and resealable.
2. Description of Related Art
A traditional can for drinking carbonated cola includes a flip-top lid that can be opened easily but cannot be resealed. The can includes a lid with a rim and a lid scoring that defines a swinging seal. A tab attached to the lid with a rivet is designed to act like a lever to punch the swinging seal inwards and thereby form an opening with a perimeter for dispensing the liquid (not shown) contained in the can. The lid scoring only forms a weak section in the lid and it does not break the seal, thereby maintaining the carbonation of the liquid and preventing spillage. It only required a modest pressure on the tab, however, to punch the swinging seal inwards, forming the opening and allowing easy consumption of the liquid contained therein. To enable a user to lift the tab and obtain this lever action on the swinging seal, it is necessary for the user to get his finger under the tab. To facilitate this, the tab is generally folded so that it is raised slightly from the lid of the can. It is also necessary to carefully fold the tab into a complex configuration suitable for easy use because a flat tab would be very difficult to grasp and use. The disadvantages of this configuration are as follows: (1) the opening process is irreversible, so there is no convenient way to close or reseal the opening once made; (2) it is often difficult for the user to get his or her finger under the tab despite the careful design and folding of the tab; and (3) the manufacture of the tabs is much more difficult and expensive because of the need to carefully style and fold the tab, rather than use a simple stamping process.
Various devices have been created to improve the traditional flip-top can. Descriptions of these devices can be found in the following patents: Shock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,853, Morris, U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,924, Thibeault, U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,591 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,654, Ayyoubi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,039, and Terzi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,444. While these inventions allow the user to reseal their flip-top can, the inventions require the use of an additional element, generally made of plastic, that is attached to the traditional flip-top can. None of these inventions are simple, convenient, and cheap enough for widespread acceptance.
The prior art teaches a device to reseal a flip-top can. However, the prior art does not teach a device that is so simple and inexpensive that it can be integrated into the manufacturing of the flip-top can. The prior art does not teach a simple mechanical improvement that allows the flip-top can to be easier to open, resealable, as well as cheaper to manufacture. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.